Skiing comes in from the cold with top award

SPORTS GRANTS: Three Irish sports organisations were given allocations of €1 million when the Department of Arts Sports and Tourism yesterday allocated €54.255 million to 624 sports projects around the country.

Rowing, Skiing and Le Fanu Park in Dublin's Cherry Orchard/Ballyfermot area were the recipients of the top award with Irish football, in total, receiving €12 million for 2005.

It might be seen as a touch ironic as winter sports were reluctantly recognised by the Irish Sports Council and just last year the organisation successfully applied for elite funding for the first time for athletes hoping to qualify for the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006. The €1 million will go towards the development of a synthetic ski slope at the Ski Club Ireland, Kilternan, in south Dublin.

Rowing will use the grant to develop the National Rowing Centre at Inniscara in Co Cork. The lake site, where national and international events have been held in recent years, has been targeted by the sport as a priority.

Le Fanu Park is where many under-age activities are organised for children in the locality.

A number of other clubs as well as regional and national development schemes also received large grants. Kilmacud Crokes GAA club in Dublin was awarded €320,000 while Athlone Town stadium received €650,000 to add to the €600,000 funding they received in 2003.

In rugby, the Connacht Branch were given €375,000 to go towards their redevelopment of the Sportsground, where the province play most of their Celtic Cup matches and have just recently developed branch offices.

Less high-profile sports were also included. The Irish Wheelchair Association received €85,000 while the Irish Parachute Club drew down €60,000.

Yesterday's announcement brought to €386 million the amount allocated to the provision of facilities since 1998 and, as evidenced by the spread of money, to local clubs as well as municipal facilities.

The FAI was the one association to quickly break down the 624 projects and extracted what they received. Of the €12 million received €5.275 million will go to Eircom League clubs while there is also €3 million outstanding from 2003 which will go to St Patrick's Athletic and Dundalk FC.

"The allocations announced today provide a real boost for domestic football," said John Delaney, CEO of the FAI. "The game . . . needs substantial funding into the future and the grants today make a very positive in-road into that requirement.

To view the 624 projects which received funding go to www.arts-sport-tourism.gov.ie.